US Open 2024: Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko preview, head-to-head, prediction, odds and pick

Match Details

Fixture: (20) Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko

Date: August 28, 2024

Tournament: US Open 2024

Round: Second Round (Round of 64)

Venue: USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, New York, U.S.

Category: Grand Slam

Surface: Hard

Prize Money: $75,000,000

Live Telecast: USA - ESPN | UK - Sky Sports | Canada - TSN, RDS | India - Sony Network

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Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko preview

Tiafoe in action at the Western and Southern Open (Picture: Getty)

Twentieth seed and home favorite Frances Tiafoe will square off against Alexander Shevchenko in the second round of the 2024 US Open on Wednesday, August 28.

Tiafoe entered New York with a 24-19 match record for the season. He regained his form during the American hardcourt swing after a disappointing first half of the year. At the Citi Open, he reached the semifinals but lost to compatriot Sebastian Korda. He quickly bounced back from a first-round defeat in Montreal with a stunning performance in Cincinnati, where he defeated Hubert Hurkacz and Holger Rune to reach the finals, only to fall to top seed Jannik Sinner in straight sets, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Tiafoe began his US Open campaign against compatriot Aleksandar Kovacevic. A single break of serve in his favor was the difference as he won the opening two sets comfortably. Kovacevic mounted a valiant comeback in the third set, forcing a fourth set. Despite continued pressure from the lower-ranked American, Tiafoe ultimately prevailed, securing a 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory.

Shevchenko entered the US Open with a 15-22 match record so far this season. His best results include reaching a trio of quarterfinals in Montpellier, Rotterdam, and Geneva.

Shevchenko kicked off his US Open campaign against Germany's Dominik Koepfer and started strong by winning the first two sets. Although he appeared set for a straight-sets victory, Koepfer mounted a comeback to win the third set. Two breaks of serve in the fourth set, however, proved decisive, allowing Shevchenko to secure a 7-5, 7-6(3), 5-7, 6-2 win.

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Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko head-to-head

Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Shevchenko have yet to face off on tour and so their head-to-head currently stands at 0-0.

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Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko odds

Player	Moneyline	Handicap Bets	Total Games
Frances Tiafoe	-450	-	-
Alexander Shevchenko	+320	-	-

(Odds sourced from BetMGM)

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Frances Tiafoe vs Alexander Shevchenko prediction

Shevchenko in action at the Boodles Tennis Tournament (Picture: Getty)

Both Frances Tiafoe and Alexander Shevchenko were tested in their openers but displayed incredible resilience to eventually come out on top.

Tiafoe was dominant on serve in his opener, winning 80% of points on his first serve. His return game was also impressive, as he racked up 56 winners and won 54 out of 135 return points. He also went to the net often, winning 71% of points while doing so.

Shevchenko, too, impressed on serve during his opener. His powerful baseline game also came to the fore as he hit 32 winners. His unforced errors, however, were unusually on the high side and will be need to reduced against a seasoned pro like Tiafoe. Shevchenko was also effective at the net, winning 63% of points when coming forward.

Given Tiafoe's good momentum off late and overall superior record on the hardcourts, he should advance with relative ease. Although Shevchenko has a good head-to-head record against higher-ranked opponents, overcoming Tiafoe, especially with the support of the home crowd, will be a significant challenge.

Pick: Tiafoe in straight sets.